Computer Network Architects

SOC 15-1241 · 2024-2034

Design and implement computer and information networks, such as local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), intranets, extranets, and other data communications networks. Perform network modeling, analysis, and planning, including analysis of capacity needs for network infrastructures. May also design network and computer security measures. May research and recommend network and data communications hardware and software.

How the U.S. Department of Labor describes this work. Published in English only.

What California expects of this job

Typical pay in California: $163,317per year
Projected openings: 9,510
Projected change: +11.8%
Usually needs: Bachelor's degree

Bright Outlook — a U.S. Department of Labor designation
Rapid Growth

The Department's own designation, made from its national projections. It is not this project's assessment and it is not California's: every other figure on this page comes from California's projection, which can point the other way and for some occupations does.

Skills this work uses most

O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupation database, rates how important each of these is to this work, and they are listed in that order, most important first. The ratings themselves are not shown, because the data carries the number without the scale it was measured on. The names are as published, in English.

Critical Thinking
Reading Comprehension
Systems Evaluation
Programming
Complex Problem Solving
Active Listening

Pay by region

Region	Typical pay in California	Projected openings
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA (San Benito and Santa Clara Counties)	$178,852	1,960
San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD (San Francisco and San Mateo Counties)	$164,026	2,320
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD (Los Angeles County)	$141,660	1,870
Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD (Orange County)	$141,637	1,030
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA (El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo Counties)	$135,967	480
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County)	$134,766	850
Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties)	$134,129	1,130
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura MSA (Ventura County)	$132,763	140
San Rafael MD (Marin County)	$128,192	80
Redding MSA (Shasta County)	$122,676	10
Stockton-Lodi MSA (San Joaquin County)	$121,823	50
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara MSA (Santa Barbara County)	$120,909	110
Napa MSA (Napa County)	$119,224	30
Modesto MSA (Stanislaus County)	$117,797	30
Bakersfield-Delano MSA (Kern County)	$115,701	80
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA (Riverside and San Bernardino Counties)	$115,044	380
North Coast Region (Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, and Mendocino Counties)	$111,541	30
Vallejo MSA (Solano County)	$102,677	40
Santa Rosa-Petaluma MSA (Sonoma County)	$101,249	70
Chico MSA (Butte County)	$101,095	20
Santa Cruz-Watsonville MSA (Santa Cruz County)	$100,663	80
Fresno MSA (Fresno and Madera Counties)	$100,417	90
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles MSA (San Luis Obispo County)	$87,279	50

What the pay actually ranges across

The lowest-paid tenth earn under: $99,787
A quarter earn under: $131,182
Half earn under: $163,317
Three quarters earn under: $202,617
The highest-paid tenth earn over: $231,226

A median is one point. These are the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2026 figures for California, and they say how far apart the people doing this job actually are. Read them as the spread across everyone already in the work — not as a starting wage and not as a promise about where anyone lands.

Similar work

O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupation database, names these as occupations involving work similar to this one — its own reading of the job, not a grouping by code. They keep O*NET's order, and only those California publishes a projection for are shown.

Occupation	Typical pay in California	Projected openings	Projected change
Computer Network Support Specialists	$81,407	9,510	+5.8%
Software Developers	$179,292	207,260	+18.4%
Network and Computer Systems Administrators	$109,420	11,510	-4.5%
Computer Occupations, All Other	$138,203	59,320	+11.1%
Computer Systems Analysts	$131,295	41,500	+9.7%
Computer Hardware Engineers	$190,364	12,740	+7.8%

Programs that train for this job — 30

Cyber Security Support Technician (Intermediate)
United Youth of America, Inc · Los Angeles · $11,363
Working 6 months later
Not reported
Earnings in one quarter after
Not reported
Wireless Networking Certificate of Accomplishment
City College of San Francisco · San Francisco · $722
Working 6 months later
Not reported
Earnings in one quarter after
Not reported
Microsoft Windows Networking
City College of San Francisco · San Francisco · $768
Working 6 months later
Not reported
Earnings in one quarter after
Not reported
Fundamentals of Networking Certificate of Accomplishment
City College of San Francisco · San Francisco · $722
Working 6 months later
Not reported
Earnings in one quarter after
Not reported
A+ and Network+ CompTIA Certification Training (online, exam vouchers included)
California State University San Marcos Extended Learning · San Marcos · $3,995
Working 6 months later
83%
Earnings in one quarter after
Not reported
CompTIA Network+ Certification Training (Voucher Included)
Loyola Marymount University - LMU Extension · Los Angeles · $3,070
Working 6 months later
Not reported
Earnings in one quarter after
Not reported
CompTIA A+ Certification Training (Voucher Included)
Loyola Marymount University - LMU Extension · Los Angeles · $3,497
Working 6 months later
100%
Earnings in one quarter after
$17,604
Information Technology Specialist
Kern High School District-BAS · Bakersfield · $100
Working 6 months later
71%
Earnings in one quarter after
$14,440
Cloud Computing
De Anza College, Occupational Training Institute · Cupertino · $5,312
Working 6 months later
Not reported
Earnings in one quarter after
Not reported
Outcomes cover more than this program The provider filed these figures against more than the program named — several of its programs, or the whole institution. They are shown because they are real, and nothing here ranks or rates them, because they do not describe this program.
Network Engineering Program: Cisco CCNA & CompTIA Network+
TAB Consultancy services LLC · San Diego · $6,995
Working 6 months later
Not reported
Earnings in one quarter after
Not reported
Specialization in DevOps and Data Virtualization
UCSC Silicon Valley Extension · Santa Clara · $3,800
Working 6 months later
67%
Earnings in one quarter after
Not reported
Embedded Systems
UCSC Silicon Valley Extension · Santa Clara · $6,570
Working 6 months later
91%
Earnings in one quarter after
Not reported
Network Systems Technician
Ventura Adult and Continuing Education · Ventura · $7,921
Working 6 months later
90%
Earnings in one quarter after
$11,500
Outcomes cover more than this program The provider filed these figures against more than the program named — several of its programs, or the whole institution. They are shown because they are real, and nothing here ranks or rates them, because they do not describe this program.
CompTIA A+ 2012 - Part 1
Career Development Solutions · Orange · $2,475
Working 6 months later
65%
Earnings in one quarter after
$4,974
CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP)
Career Development Solutions · Orange · $2,475
Working 6 months later
Not reported
Earnings in one quarter after
Not reported
CompTIA A+ 2012 - Part 2
Career Development Solutions · Orange · $2,475
Working 6 months later
69%
Earnings in one quarter after
$5,850
CompTIA Linux+ Certification
Career Development Solutions · Orange · $2,475
Working 6 months later
Not reported
Earnings in one quarter after
Not reported
CompTIA Project+ Certification (2009 Objectives)
Career Development Solutions · Orange · $2,475
Working 6 months later
Not reported
Earnings in one quarter after
Not reported
Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
Career Development Solutions · Orange · $3,995
Working 6 months later
44%
Earnings in one quarter after
$16,120
CompTIA Network+ Certification (2011 Objectives)
Career Development Solutions · Orange · $2,475
Working 6 months later
43%
Earnings in one quarter after
$8,411
Cisco Certified Network Administrator (CCNA)
Career Development Solutions · Orange · $5,695
Working 6 months later
71%
Earnings in one quarter after
$16,800
Telecommunications Specialist II
Integrated Digital Technologies (IDT) · Glendale · $6,400
Working 6 months later
Not reported
Earnings in one quarter after
Not reported
Telecommunications Specialist I
Integrated Digital Technologies (IDT) · Glendale · $5,300
Working 6 months later
Not reported
Earnings in one quarter after
Not reported
Database Administrator Professional (MCITP/MCDBA)
Integrated Digital Technologies (IDT) · Glendale · $6,500
Working 6 months later
Not reported
Earnings in one quarter after
Not reported
Telecommunications Specialist III
Integrated Digital Technologies (IDT) · Glendale · $7,500
Working 6 months later
Not reported
Earnings in one quarter after
Not reported
Computer Information Systems, Certificate of Achievement
College of Marin · Greenbrae · $1,674
Working 6 months later
Not reported
Earnings in one quarter after
Not reported
Computer Science - Computer Architecture (certificate)
Diablo Valley College · Pleasant Hill · $1,259
Working 6 months later
Not reported
Earnings in one quarter after
Not reported
ENGTC: Computer Aided Drafting & Digital Media for Architecture, Ind. Design, Engin
Diablo Valley College · Pleasant Hill · $1,035
Working 6 months later
Not reported
Earnings in one quarter after
Not reported
Computer Info Systems: Associate in Science Degree Computer Information Systems
Diablo Valley College · Pleasant Hill · $4,747
Working 6 months later
Not reported
Earnings in one quarter after
Not reported
Information Technology Plus CC
Kern Community College District · Bakersfield · $1,378
Working 6 months later
Not reported
Earnings in one quarter after
Not reported